The Carlsen era seemed at risk of ending. The 35-year-old Norwegian had just suffered his second consecutive defeat to India’s 19-year-old world champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, who was on a five-game winning streak and held a three-point lead over Carlsen in Zagreb. The match mirrored their first encounter in Stavanger, where Carlsen had squandered a dominant position, a moment immortalized by his frustrated reaction. "Now we can question Carlsen’s dominance," remarked Garry Kasparov.
But this time, the outcome was different. The format shifted from rapid to blitz, and Carlsen went on an eight-game unbeaten run, including a victory over the young Indian player with a steady, position-based approach, while Gukesh faltered, scoring only 1.5 points out of nine. Another way to describe Carlsen’s resurgence is that he returned to the disciplined style seen in his book co-written with England’s David Howell.
By the close of the tournament, held as part of an international series supported financially by a billionaire from St. Louis, Carlsen secured another $40,000 as the winner—his fourth victory in six appearances in Croatia. His final score was 22.5 points out of 36, with Wesley So of the U.S. at 20 and Gukesh at 19.5. A third meeting between Carlsen and Gukesh ended in a quick, prearranged draw.
This year has been strong for Carlsen, marking his sixth consecutive tournament win after triumphs at several other high-profile events.
"When no one else performs exceptionally, my standard play is usually sufficient," Carlsen said. "Overall, it was a balanced event, and no player truly stood out. It doesn’t feel like I won decisively—just that I played adequately while others didn’t do anything extraordinary."
Meanwhile, Gukesh continues his pre-game meditation routines and stresses his ongoing focus on improvement.
Carlsen’s next challenge comes in Las Vegas, where he will compete in one of five scheduled events featuring randomized starting positions. Unexpectedly, his top rival, Hans Niemann, earned a late qualification spot.
Another planned stop in Delhi was called off due to insufficient local backing, and leadership changes in the tournament’s organization have raised questions about its future direction.
Further updates have been shared for an upcoming public event in London, where players of all ages can engage in casual and competitive games with top-tier players under favorable weather conditions.
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